Acoustics

I currently have three Accoustics (at this house ;-)).

Taylor 810

I bought this in November 2000. It was a 'present' from my mother-in-law. She is a babe - that's the guitar!

I coveted a Taylor long before I was able to get one. My dad lives in San Diego (where they are made) and I managed to go on a tour of the Factory when I visited one time. There were only two people waiting for the tour - me and this other guy. He had his Taylor with him as his wife had cleaned the top with a scourer - badly scratching part of the top. He asked if it was possible for them to do something about it and they took the guitar from him.

He was expecting a long and costly job but when we finished the tour they gave him the guitar back - having polished out the scratches. He asked 'how much' but they said 'no problem' - like Rolls Royce, just part of the 'Taylor' service.

This guitar used to have a passive Fishman fitted as I wanted it to be as 'stock' as it could be. I used my Trace Elliot TAP1 acoustic pre-amp pedal when amplifying it so having everything 'off board'. This was the best option for me as it leaves the guitar as natural as possible - getting a great sound but without having a hole cut in the guitar for the battery housing.

However, in Feb 18 I fitted an LR Baggs Anthem as they got such good reviews. Still no battery hoousing - just a couple of bits stuck on the inside with 3M tape! And the sound is as natural as it can be. I haven't used it at a gig yet but with my amp at home the sound coming from the amp sounds just like the guitar, only louder! no Piezo quack!

She has a sitka spruce top with rosewood sides. I appreciate that some people don't like the fact that Taylor use plastic binding on these but the wood and the detail are great.

Oh, and I decided on the Taylor way before they became the Worship Leaders Guitar Of Choice!

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Aria FW-15 Acoustic

Another guitar that I can't truly claim to be mine.

My mum spent several years learning how to play and when she went through a 'giving up patch' I ended up with it.

I put a (Seymore Duncan) piezo under the bridge myself and have had many happy years playing her. Indeed, she still gets taken to places that I couldn't trust myself with the Taylor and 'lent out' to friends that want to have a go at learning guitar.

This is the only guitar that I have that has sustained any real damage. She was knocked over by the vicars robes when he was moving past the equipment to share the peace and has a 'ding' above the sound hole.

Fender 12 String

I was given this 12 string for my 21st birthday. It spent a long time being borrowed by a mate and as a 'thank you' I got a Fishman piezo fitted. It sounds really good but I find it quite hard to play - probably me, not the guitar. The neck is a bit wide and it is difficult to make a barr with all that pressure from the stings.

Still, it's nice to get it out once in a while as the jangley sound is great.

I contacted Fender to get some details on the guitiars I own. this was the only one they had any info on. The others are all too old!! This is what they told me: